Burial-vault.



F. E. ARNDT.

BURIAL VAULT.

APPLICATION FILED mm, 1917.

Patented Mar. 13, 1917.

awe/Mow F E'HRNDT are screwed up from the outside, the opera- UNITED sr 'rEs FRANKLIN E. ARNDT, or GAtIoN, onxo, ASSIGNOR TO SECURITY METALLIC GRAVE PATENT OFFICE.

VAULT 00., OF ORRVILLE, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

BURIAL-VAULT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 8, 1917. Serial No.' 141,250.

and useful improvements in burial vaults,

and relates particularly to that type of vault in which one end is open and is designed,

after the casket has been inserted into the body portion of the vault, to be closedby a door or closure whereby the vault is hermetically sealed.

To those familiar with the art to which this invention appertains, it is well known that some persons prefer a vault in which the door or closure is fastened in closed position by means of nuts and bolts which tion of fastening these bolts giving a feeling of security in contradistinction. to that.

'type of vault in which the locking devices are not visible from the outside, but are simultaneously operated by a wrench or tool applied to the revoluble actuating device at the center of the door; and it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a practical, durable and very efiicient construction of burial vault and closure therefor in which, while there area relatively large number, of fastening devices all visible from the exterior or end of the vault,

the operation of securely fastening the door or closure at the end of the vault may-be very quickly performed, and the vault-thus hermetically sealed.

vice of this character'in which the fastenso arranged and correlated, that the locking (members that are mounted upon the bolts swiveled in the end door or closure, will be easily and securely held such position thatthe closure may be quickly applied to the body of the vault and whereby the initial revoluble movement of the bolts will :with which the open end of the body portion of the vault is provided, means being provided whereby this swinging movement of the locking members will be automati- A further object of the invention is a dc Patented Mar. 13, 1917.-

cally limited and the subsequent turning of For a full understanding of the inven-- tion, reference is to be had to the followingdescrlption and accompanying drawing, in

which Figure 1' is an end view of a burial vault {embodying the improvements of my inven- Fig. 2 is a fragmentary" sectional view on an enlarged scale, the section being taken substantially on the line 2--2 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction-of the arrow, and

Fig. 3 is Qorresponding and like parts are referred .to in the following description and desiga similar view at right] angles 1 nated in the views of the accompanying drawing by like reference characters.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 "designates the body portion of a grave vault of the open end type, provided at its open end with an internal marginal flange 2 against which the door or closure 3 is adapted to abut, or against an'interposed packing or gasket 4. I

' and nearthe edge or margin thereof, is any -i desired number of bolts 5, said bolts being oof vided at their outer ends with polygonal heads 6 whereby wrenches'or similar tools thereby turned. Preferably lead or similar washers 7 are interposed between the rear sides of the. heads 6 and the adjacent front face of the door or closure 3. v

The shanks of the bolts 5 are threaded, as

at 8, and -mount'ed upon the threaded shanks are looking members 9. Each lockmay be easily applied'thereto and the bolts a Revolubly mounted in the door 3 around I i ing member is referably formed with an interiorly threa ed boss 10, the threads of which engage and work upon the threads 8 of the bolt shanks, and with oppositely directed arms 11 and 12, as clearly illustrated in F igs. 2 and 3. The arm 11 is preferably curved although the invention is not limited in this regard, and is adapted to abut against the rear face of the closure 3, and the opposite arm 12 is on one side with a protu erance'or bulged portion 13 adapted to bear upon and against t the rear side of the flange 2, and with a" laterally extended shouldered portion 14 adapted to abut against the side wall of 7 the body'portion 1of the vault to limit the I turning, movement of the locking member in one direction. 7

Preferably springs 15 are coiled around the shanks of the bolt 5 and expand against the locking members 9 and the rear face of the closure 3 whereby-all rattiing of the locking members willvbe prevented while at the. same time the locking members'will be held by the expansive actionof the springs against any accidental turning movement so .that they may be easily adjusted and maintained in such position as to not interfere in anywise with the application of the door or closure to its proper position. W Preferably also each bolt provided at its rear end with a transverse'opening extending therethrough for the reception of a cotter pin 16 to prevent the lockingmembers from being backed off of the shanks of'the bolts and lost.

. tion with the accompanying drawing, the

operation of my improved burial vault and lockingidevices therefor will be apparent. In the practical use of'th'e vault equipped with the improvements of my invention,

after the casket has been placed in'the body? of the fvault, the closure 3 is moved to its accustomed position, the looking members being so positioned or held that the arms 11' and 12 will pass the inner edge of the flange 2 and not interfere with the application of the closure or door. After the door has been applied the bolts 5 are turned in a direction to swing the arms 12 of the locking members 9 over, that is, behind, the flange-'2, with the bulged portions or protuber'ances 13 in engagement with the rear faceof the flange,

1 the abutment of the shoulders 14 or lateral extensions of the arms 9 against the side 'of the body portion 1 of the vault limiting this turning movement of the locking members as is manifest, whereupon the bolts 5 may be continued to be turned and thus draw or compress the closure 3 rearwardly or inwardly against the flange 2 or the interposed packing or gasket c and thus hermetically seal the vault. It will thus be seen that I have provided a very practical, durareferably formed Fromithe foregoing description in connecble and efficient construction of vault closure and locking devices therefor which will enable the vault to. be very quickly, easily and silently sealed; the parts bein so constructed that they will not be liaifle to get out of order or readily become broken.

While the accompanying drawing illustrates" what I believe to be the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto, but: that various changes may be made in the construction, arrangements and proportions of the parts without departing v from the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed, is:

- 1. The combination with a vault, the"body portion of whichihas an opening and a flange defining said opening, of a door insertible in said opening, and a plurality of locking devices carried by said door, said locking 1 devices comprising bolts revolubly mounted in. the door and locking members threaded on said bolts at the rear side of the door,

said locking members having arms adapted to bear againstthe rear side of therflange and formed with shoulders adapted to abut against the body of the vault to limit the turning movement of the locking members inone direction, for the purpose specified.

2. The combination with a burial vault, 5 having a casket receiving opening, and a y -n a flange defining said opening, of a door ap- I plicable to said opening, and a plurality of fastening devices carried by said door, said fastening devices comprising bolts carried by said door and revolubly mounted therein,

and locking members threaded on said bolts at the rear side of the door, said locking rear' side of the flange and with latera ly exmembers being provided with arms formed 'with' protuberances adapted to enga eqthe tended Shoulders or engagement with the f body of the vault to limit the turning move- I ment of said locking members'in one dim tion. 7 g 7 having a casket receiving opening, and a flange defining said opening, a door applicable to said opening, and fastening devices carried by said door, said fastening devices 3. The combination with a burial vault comprising threaded bolts revolubly mounted the door,and locking members threaded on said bolts at the rear side of the door,

having a casket receiving opening, a flange defining said opening, of a door applicable a to said opening, and fastening devices cari ried by said door, said fastenin devices coni-' prising threaded bolts revolub y mounted in the door, and locking members threaded on said bolts at the rear side of the door, said locking members being provided with oppositely extending arms, one of which is adapted to bear against the rear side of the door and the other to engage the rear side of the flange, said last named arm being provided with a lateral extension adapted to abut against the body of the vault to limit the turning movement of the lockingmembers in one direction.

5. The combination with a burial vaul having a casket receiving opening, and a flange defining said opening, of a door applicable to said opening, and a plurality of fastening devices carried by said door, said fastening devices comprising threaded bolts revolubly mounted in said door, locln'ng adapted to bear against the rear side of the door and the other against the rear side of the flange, said last named arm being formed with laterally extending shoulders, for the v purpose specified, and expansion springs coiled around said bolts and bearing against the locking members and said door. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of, two witnesses.

FRANKLIN E. ARNDT. 

